CAREER: The Coordinated Theory and Experiments of the Fundamental Metal Oxidation Kinetics As Visualized By In Situ UHV_TEM

该项目的目的是在超高真空条件下应用原位透射电子显微镜，以发展对纳米级氧化过程的基本理解。拟议的研究的主要目标是发展更好地了解从金属氧化物的成核氧化物稳定的氧化物的形成的纳米级阶段。对铜、铝薄膜进行了系统的实验研究。该项目涉及与伊利诺伊大学厄巴纳-香槟分校材料研究实验室（UIUC），劳伦斯利弗莫尔国家实验室（LLNL）和材料研究与工程研究所（IMRE），新加坡，在那里一个专门的原位室的铝薄膜沉积内的UHV-TEM存在的合作。这项研究具有技术相关性，其中表面氧化过程在环境稳定性，高温腐蚀，电化学，催化反应，栅氧化物和薄膜生长以及燃料反应中起着关键作用。教育部分结合了该项目中开发的研究工具，用于开发材料科学与工程（MS E）本科和研究生阶段的新课程&该研究对薄金属纳米级氧化的基本过程有了新的理解，这将与腐蚀是限制的技术直接相关。因子

This project aims in applying in-situ transmission electron microscopy under ultra high vacuum conditions to develop a fundamental understanding of the oxidation processes at the nanoscale. Major objectives of the proposed study is to develop better understanding of the nanoscale stages of oxidation from the nucleation of the metal oxide to the formation of thermodynamically stable oxide. Systematic experimental studies will be made on thin films of copper and aluminum. The project involves collaborations with the Materials Research Laboratory at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and the Institute for Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), Singapore where a specialized in situ chamber for Al thin film deposition inside the UHV-TEM exist. This research has technological relevance where surface oxidation processes play critical roles in environmental stability, high temperature corrosion, electrochemistry, catalytic reactions, gate oxides and thin film growth as well as fuel reactions. The educational component incorporates the research tools developed in the project in the development of new courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels in materials science and engineering (MS&E) curriculum as well as a new web site accessible for public.The research develops a new understanding of the fundamental processes involved in nanoscale oxidation on thin metals that would have direct relevance in technologies where corrosion is the limiting factor.